Charles Boustany
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| Charles Boustany, Jr. | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Chris John |
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| Born | February 21, 1956 Lafayette, Louisiana |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Bridget Boustany |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
Charles William Boustany Jr. (born February 21, 1956) represents Louisiana's historically Democratic 7th congressional district as a Republican since 2004.
Boustany (pronounced boo-STAN-ie) won an open race in 2004, when Christopher "Chris" John, the incumbent Democrat, did not seek re-election in order to run for the U.S. Senate. Boustany, two Democrats and another Republican, David Thibodaux (1953–2007), a member of the Lafayette Parish School Board, vied for the House seat.
In the primary election, Boustany won 39 percent, with the next highest vote-getter being Democratic State Senator Willie Landry Mount, the former mayor of Lake Charles, who received 25 percent. Under Louisiana's jungle primary system, in the event no candidate wins a "50 percent plus one" total of the vote, a runoff is conducted between the two top candidates.
In the resulting December 4 runoff election, with Thibodaux's support, Boustany defeated Mount 55-45 percent, due mainly to support from black voters in St. Landry parish. This anomaly occurred because the third-place finisher in the race was African-American politician Don Cravins Sr. of St. Landry Parish, who was angry with the state Democratic party's treatment of him in the primary. Cravins' network of support now is represented on Boustany's staff.
In the mid-term election of 2006, Boustany, with 71 percent of the vote, handily defeated the Democrat Mike Stagg despite the national tide that favored Democratic congressional nominees.[1]
Boustany has authored a comprehensive plan for reinvigorating the economy of his district known as the "Prescription for Prosperity."
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[edit] Personal life
Boustany was born in Lafayette, Louisiana to Madlyn M. Ackal and Charles W. Boustany, Sr., M.D.; his paternal grandparents were immigrants from Lebanon.[2] He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then named the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University. Boustany is a heart surgeon, who initially practiced in Rochester, New York before taking a job at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.
The congressman is married to the former Bridget Edwards, niece of former governor Edwin Edwards. He is one of ten children. One of his sisters is married to the son of longtime political kingpin Edmund Reggie of Crowley and is hence a sister-in-law of Victoria Reggie Kennedy.
Boustany's family has been active in Lafayette Parish politics. His father, Dr. Charles Boustany Sr., a former Democrat, is the elected Republican coroner of Lafayette Parish.
In 2006, Vice President Richard B. Cheney addressed a fundraiser in Lafayette for Boustany. Cheney stayed at the Lafayette home of Boustany supporter Patrick LeBlanc (1954-2008), an unsuccessful state legislative candidate in 2007 who perished in a private plane crash early in 2008.
[edit] Committee Assignments
- Education and Labor Committee
- Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
- Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
- Subcommittee Water Resources & Environment
- Agriculture Committee
- Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
[edit] References
- ^ Boustany secures second term with 71 percent of vote, The Daily Advertiser
- ^ 1
[edit] External links
- Congressman Charles Boustany official U.S. House website
- Charles Boustany, Jr., MD official campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- Louisiana Secretary of State — Official Parish Election Results, Parish of Lafayette
| Preceded by Chris John |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 7th congressional district 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
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